Anglais · 2ème année Bac — Lettres

Frequently used Phrasal Verbs

Frequently Used Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are among the most common and most challenging features of English grammar. For Moroccan 2nd-year Baccalaureate students aiming to reach a solid B1–B2 level, mastering phrasal verbs is not optional — they appear in reading comprehension, writing tasks, and oral examinations alike. This grammar fiche walks you through everything you need to know: what phrasal verbs are, how they are built, how to use them correctly, and which mistakes to avoid.

1. Definition and Rule

A phrasal verb is a multi-word verb formed by combining a base verb with one or two small words called particles (an adverb, a preposition, or both). Together, the verb and its particle(s) create a new meaning that usually cannot be guessed from the individual words alone.
For example, the verb run combined with the particle into produces run into, which means "to meet someone unexpectedly" — not to physically run anywhere. Because the meaning is idiomatic, phrasal verbs must be learned as fixed chunks in context, not translated word by word from Arabic or French.

2. Form and Structure

Two-word phrasal verbs (verb + one particle)

  • get up, turn off, look after, come across, break down

Three-word phrasal verbs (verb + two particles)

  • come up with, put up with, look forward to, get rid of

Conjugation rule

Only the base verb changes according to tense and subject. The particle(s) never change.
  1. Present simple: I get up at 6 AM. / She gets up at 6 AM.
  1. Past simple: I got up at 6 AM.
  1. Present continuous: I am getting up.
  1. Present perfect: I have already got up.

Transitive vs. Intransitive

Transitive phrasal verbs need a direct object: "She picked up the book." | Intransitive phrasal verbs stand alone with no object: "The car broke down."

Separable vs. Inseparable

Separable phrasal verbs allow the object to be placed either after the full phrasal verb or between the verb and the particle: "Turn off the light" / "Turn the light off." However, when the object is a pronoun, it must go between the verb and the particle: "Turn it off" — never "Turn off it."
Inseparable phrasal verbs keep the verb and particle together at all times. The object always follows both components: "Look after your dog" — never "Look your dog after." All intransitive phrasal verbs are automatically inseparable because they have no object.

3. Uses

Phrasal verbs cover a wide range of communicative functions. Here are the main categories with key examples:
  • Action and movement: get up, sit down, come back, take off — "The plane took off on time."
  • Change of state: break down, calm down, cheer up, slow down — "My computer broke down last week."
  • Relationships and interactions: get along with, fall out with, make up with, look up to — "She gets along well with her colleagues."
  • Communication: bring up (introduce a topic), point out, go through, put across — "Can we bring up that issue at the meeting?"
  • Responsibility and care: look after, bring up (raise children), watch out for — "Who will look after the children?"
  • Tolerance and obligation: put up with, get by, carry on, do without — "I can't put up with this noise anymore."
  • Problem-solving and organisation: work out, sort out, set up, figure out — "We need to sort out this problem."
  • Future planning and anticipation: look forward to, set up — "I'm looking forward to the holiday."
Note on register: Phrasal verbs are more common in spoken and informal English. In formal academic writing, single-word equivalents are often preferred — for example, tolerate instead of put up with, or investigate instead of look into.

4. Worked Examples

Study the following sentences carefully. Notice how the phrasal verb and its object work together, and pay attention to word order with pronouns.
She came across an old letter while tidying her room. (come across = find by chance; inseparable)
The mechanic turned off the engine. → The mechanic turned it off. (turn off = deactivate; separable — pronoun goes between verb and particle)
They called off the match because of the rain. (call off = cancel; separable)
My grandfather looked after us every summer. (look after = take care of; inseparable)
I'm looking forward to starting university next year. (look forward to + -ing form; three-word inseparable)
He gave up smoking after the doctor's warning. (give up = stop trying or doing; separable)
The team came up with a creative solution to the problem. (come up with = think of an idea; three-word inseparable)
We need to work out how to reduce costs. (work out = find a solution; separable)

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1 — Wrong pronoun placement with separable verbs

Wrong: "Turn off it." / "Pick up them."
Correct: "Turn it off." / "Pick them up." — Pronouns must always go between the verb and the particle.

Mistake 2 — Separating inseparable phrasal verbs

Wrong: "Look your dog after." / "I ran my friend into."
Correct: "Look after your dog." / "I ran into my friend." — Verbs like look after, run into, come across, get along with must never be split.

Mistake 3 — Wrong verb form after certain phrasal verbs

Wrong: "I'm looking forward to see you." / "They carried on to talk."
Correct: "I'm looking forward to seeing you." / "They carried on talking." — Phrasal verbs ending in to (look forward to, get down to) and phrasal verbs meaning 'continue' (carry on, go on, keep on) require an -ing form, not a bare infinitive.

Mistake 4 — Confusing similar phrasal verbs

look up means to search for information ("Look up the word in a dictionary"), while look after means to take care of someone or something ("Look after your little sister"). These are not interchangeable. Similarly, give up (stop) is very different from give away (donate or reveal). Always learn phrasal verbs in example sentences, never as isolated items.

Mistake 5 — Guessing meaning from the base verb

Assuming that run into means running is a classic error. In the same way, get over does not mean physically climbing; it means to recover from something. Break down does not mean to break an object; it means to stop functioning or to collapse emotionally. Never guess — always verify meaning in context.

Mistake 6 — Using informal phrasal verbs in formal writing

In a formal essay or official letter, prefer single-word verbs: tolerate (not put up with), investigate (not look into), cancel (not call off). Developing awareness of register is a key skill at Baccalaureate level.

6. Key-Point Callout

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Key point: Three rules to memorise before your exam. (1) Only the base verb conjugates — particles never change. (2) When a separable phrasal verb has a pronoun object, the pronoun must go between the verb and the particle: "Turn it off," never "Turn off it." (3) After phrasal verbs that end in to (look forward to, get down to) and after phrasal verbs meaning 'continue' (carry on, keep on, go on), always use the -ing form: "I'm looking forward to meeting you" — not "to meet." Learn every phrasal verb in a complete sentence and practise it in context.

Quick Reference: 30 Essential Phrasal Verbs for the Baccalaureate

The following phrasal verbs appear regularly at B1–B2 level. Study each one with its meaning and a short example.
  1. bring up — introduce a topic / raise children: "Don't bring up politics at dinner."
  1. break down — stop functioning / lose emotional control: "The car broke down on the motorway."
  1. calm down — become less anxious or angry: "Please calm down and explain what happened."
  1. call off — cancel: "They called off the trip because of the storm."
  1. come across — encounter by chance: "I came across an old photo while cleaning."
  1. come up with — produce an idea: "They came up with a brilliant solution."
  1. fill in — complete a form: "Please fill in the application form."
  1. get along with — have a good relationship: "Do you get along with your neighbours?"
  1. get rid of — remove or eliminate: "Let's get rid of these old magazines."
  1. get up — wake and rise from bed: "I get up at six every morning."
  1. give up — stop trying or abandon a habit: "Don't give up on your dreams."
  1. go on — continue / happen: "What's going on outside?"
  1. grow up — develop into an adult: "Where did you grow up?"
  1. look after — take care of: "Can you look after my cat this weekend?"
  1. look forward to — anticipate with pleasure (+ing): "I'm looking forward to seeing you."
  1. look up — search for information: "Look up the word in the dictionary."
  1. pick up — collect / learn informally: "She picked up Spanish during her trip."
  1. point out — draw attention to: "Can you point out the main errors?"
  1. put up with — tolerate: "I can't put up with this behaviour anymore."
  1. run into — meet unexpectedly: "I ran into an old friend at the market."
  1. set up — establish or arrange: "They set up a new company last year."
  1. sort out — resolve or organise: "We need to sort out this misunderstanding."
  1. take off — remove / begin to fly: "Take off your shoes at the door." / "The flight took off on schedule."
  1. take over — assume control: "She took over the project when he left."
  1. turn down — reject / reduce volume: "He turned down the job offer." / "Turn down the music, please."
  1. turn off — deactivate: "Don't forget to turn off the lights."
  1. turn on — switch on / activate: "Turn on the television."
  1. work out — solve / do physical exercise: "I need to work out the best approach." / "He works out at the gym every day."
  1. fall out with — quarrel and stop being friendly: "He fell out with his best friend over money."
  1. go through — experience difficulty / examine carefully: "She went through a very hard year." / "Please go through the document before signing."